


The Sitting Tree

by MamaCesa



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Romantic Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:35:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23801677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaCesa/pseuds/MamaCesa
Summary: “Did you know this was going to happen?”“Of course.”“And you didn’t tell me?”“…Of course.”Pairing: Romantic Royality (Roman/Patton)Warnings: slight homophobia mention
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Kudos: 25





	The Sitting Tree

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: slight homophobia mention

Roman walked along the riverbank quietly. He knew his way through the woods, even though it was a cloudy night and there were no stars to guide him. Not that this night, it mattered. The only direction he needed to go was forward. 

  
  


Did he feel a tad bit guilty, leaving his home? Of course, but he knew his brother Remus would be able to handle the responsibilities he left behind. He felt a bit guilty about his parents never knowing what happened to him. He didn’t want to leave a note, because how does one put into words that they are leaving forever? 

  
  


His shoes were muddy from the riverbank. The squish of his steps made him want to giggle. It was such a childish thing to be happy about. It had been so long since he had been allowed to just get down into the dirt; carefree and not worried about the display of royalty. 

  
  


He reached the spot. It would be hard to notice, but there was a way the tree grew on the edges of the river that was shaped to be similar to a bench. It was still a young tree, but had become sturdy enough to support the weight of more than one person. Well, it could support the weight of two lovers in particular. 

  
  


Roman smiled warmly. He wasn’t surprised he had made it to the sitting tree first. He set his sack at his feet as he leaned against the wood. He crossed his arms to keep warm. Though it was a summer night, the wind was starting to pick up past a ‘light breeze’. Nothing too distressing, yet.

  
  


He kept scanning his eyes around him, keeping an eye out for anyone who wasn’t his love. It wasn’t likely that anyone would find him. It was the middle of the night, and their spot was in a part of the more secluded, unexplored area of the forest. Before him, there were tall, strong, beautiful redwood trees. Some of the duff had been blown to where his feet were. He didn’t pay any mind. There was a bit of a wondrous beauty in the scene before him. 

  
  


It may have been his excitement of the events to come. The new life path he was setting himself upon. Gone were the days of Prince Roman of Pisal; here was the beginning of just Roman, husband of-

  
  


“Patton,” he breathed out at the sight of the small figure moving towards him from the trees. He couldn’t help the raw emotion building up in his chest. He was filled with so much excited energy, he couldn’t stop himself from running away from their tree to scoop the man in his arms. 

  
  


“Roman!” Patton Walter cried, also running towards Roman as well.

  
  


They met in a warm embrace. More of the duff from the trees around them blew around the two as they embraced. Roman smiled against the top of Patton’s head. He was basking in the sweetness of the embrace, so enraptured by the feeling of pure excitement towards the future that he did not at first notice the shaking coming from his lover was actually sobbing. 

Immediately he pulled back, keeping his hands on Patton’s shoulder while he looked over the man’s face. 

  
  


There were definitely tears. Tears that seemed like they were not sourced from happiness like Roman would have expected. There were curls, corn yellow curls that usually glowed in the sunlight were now dulled in the night. The soft hair seemed limp, pale in the limited light of the night. There were freckles. Small brown kisses from the sun that Roman had kissed over thousands of times. There were the soft lips he desired. The bright smile was gone, replaced with only a ghost. In its place was a frown. Roman’s heart fell at the news about to spill from those lips. 

  
  


He could not bear to hear it yet. So he gently held the face he had so carefully inspected and kissed. He held his lips against Patton’s; knowing that it wouldn’t hold the news at bay forever...but it would be long enough for the goodbyes. He felt Patton lean against his body. _ Keep kissing, kiss and the words won’t leave his lips. Keep holding on, hold him and he won’t have to leave.  _

  
  


Eventually the breath had left their lungs. The need for air seemed of no importance to Roman as Patton pulled away. He leaned his forehead on Patton’s. The wind around them started to pick up, almost roaring. So it was a shame that he could still hear the whisper of the news come from his lover. 

  
  


“My mother arranged a marriage.” 

  
  


There it was. Roman’s nightmare came true. How he had hoped his brother had been lying to him that afternoon. Just another one of Remus’ cruel pranks to keep Roman’s head spinning. He did not want to believe it. So he had sent the messenger to his lover. 

  
  


_ Meet me at our sitting tree -Redwood _ . 

  
  


It had been too late. He felt it in the way Patton started to panic at his lack of a response. 

  
  


Roman turned away, looking at their tree. 

_   
_ _ “Did you know you can shape a tree into any shape?” a young boy with sunlight in his hair asked.  _

  
  


_ “No you can’t!” a ginger haired boy argues back, stomping his foot for emphasis.  _

  
  


_ “Sure you can,” the first said. He tied some ropes he brought from home around the young tree by the river where they played. “You just need to give it some guidance, have patience, and most of all,” he looked up to his friend, “love.” _

  
  


Roman felt the wetness on his face before he knew he was crying at the memory. They had worked so hard. So much effort into something. 

  
  


The wind was bearing down hard on the tree. Their tree. Roman couldn’t bear to watch, so he looked back to see that Patton was staring at him. Had he not responded?

  
  


“I…” he started. Where were his words? His elegance? “I know.” 

  
  


Patton’s face morphed into a million feelings at once. Relief at a response, confusion at how Roman knew first, shock at the implication, then anger. He stormed up to Roman. 

  
  


“Did you know this was going to happen?” Patton asked. Did Roman know about Madam Walter’s efforts to find a wife for her only son?

  
  


Roman glanced away. “Of course.” Of course he knew. His brother had tortured him with information about each girl applying. 

  
  


“And you didn’t tell me?” Patton asked. He tried to blink away the tears that had returned. 

  
  


Roman looked at his heartbroken lover. “...Of course.” 

  
  


Patton made a noise in confusion, trying to stutter out a response. “You-” he started. “You  _ knew _ my mother was searching? For a- for someone for me to marry? And you did  _ nothing _ to warn-” Patton glared at Roman. 

  
  


Roman knew he had made a mistake. He took Patton in his arms. Patton at first weakly tried to push him off, then started crying harder. Clinging his fists in Roman’s jacket; screaming “You know!” over and over. 

  
  


Roman closed his eyes in shame. Where could he go from here? “Let’s go to our tree, Little River.” 

  
  


Patton just nodded. They made their way to the tree they helped shape into a seat for just them. They huddled together like always. Roman stared at the strong trees before them. They did not waver in the wind. They stood strong. 

  
  


Roman knew what he had to suggest. If he could run, who was to say Patton couldn’t as well? They’d go to another kingdom. 

  
  
“Run with me,” Roman begged. “Run with me, we can start a new life together in another kingdom.”


End file.
